When is it Enough

Chapter 8 - High King Sobachka

She felt pulled toward him like a magnet. His approaching presence buzzed at the base of her skull.

Zoya and Genya stood to either side of Alina as they anticipated Aleksander's arrival to the designated meeting point outside Kribirsk. Misha hid nestled in the tree line, crossbow at the ready.

Each second seemed like an eternity to Alina. Each minute felt too short. Every traveler made her heart jump into her throat. Every noise startled her.

The calm before battle is always the worst part.

By the time she spotted him, the buzzing had become unbearable. It was like the tether had manifested a physical presence and was leading her by the neck to stand beside him. Her face heated in shame as she imagined taking her place at his right hand.

Alina was so distracted by it that she almost didn't notice a tearful Yuri running up to her. He tackled her so hard, they fell to the dusty ground. Zoya nearly killed him for it.

She nuzzled her face into his sandy, unkempt hair, breathing in sweat and soot and bergamot, relieved that there was one fewer death for her to bear.

Aleksander stayed a healthy distance away, holding up his hands.

Alina sat up, one arm braced behind her and one arm around Yuri, who himself was attached so tightly to Alina's midsection, not even a Grisha steel blade could separate them.

She felt lightheaded when her gaze connected with Aleksander's. The tether pulled taught. Her breath caught in her lungs.

Zoya broke the silence. "Hello, Darkling."

He waved. He goddamn waved. While grinning. Sheepishly.

Alina became entirely convinced in that moment that a new corporalki body-swapping power had emerged because the other explanation was the Black General was standing here like a schoolboy guilty of stealing a cookie.

Genya and Zoya shared a look that confirmed they were equally baffled.

Yuri saved the day. "I can't believe you're alive Ms. Irina! I totally thought you died but Sasha said he thought you weren't but I'm not mad because he's right about most things anyway. Are we going home? What happened at home anyway it was loud and scary and I didn't like the guys that put us in the airship they were mean but Tolya told me he took care of them for me so I wouldn't have to see them again. Tolya's my friend by the way he's super tall and-"

"You met Tolya?" Alina interrupted.

"Mmhum," Yuri nodded, "and his sister Tamar. She's scary though I didn't like her."

"Alina, who is this dirty child?" Zoya demanded, one perfectly groomed eyebrow raised.

"Oh right, Yuri this is Zoya and Genya." Alina indicated to the women standing above them with arms cautiously raised, ready to summon.

"Hi!" Yuri flapped his hands wildly at them.

"Yuri was- is- one of my orphans," Alina continued, "and a sun summoner."

"Is that why you're with him," Genya coolly asked Aleksander, never having taken her eyes off him. "You did have a knack for collecting... uniquely gifted children."

"I'm just taking care of him, that's all," Aleksander said cautiously. "We met after the attack on Keramzin."

Yuri nodded vigorously. "Sasha's been super nice to me. He got us this place in Kribirsk that smelled like cabbages and feet..."

It was Alina's turn to raise an eyebrow. She mouthed Sasha? Really? at Aleksander. He shrugged nonchalantly.

Yuri continued, unaware of the exchange. "...Tamar was dressed like one of the guards and she did a Heartrender thing-y to like forty soldiers at once and then Tolya tried to steer the balloon home but then one of the soldiers started a fire and we crashed into a wall like KAPOW," wild gesturing accompanied the sound effects, "and then the balloon exploded like WHOOSH BANG and it was really scary but I was brave like you taught me, Ms. Irina, I held it and I didn't let go and-"